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The lifesaver in one incident was Basalt Officer Alex Mass. In the other incident, Basalt Police Chief Greg Knott and Officers Jason Hegberg and Bo Biggs along with Eagle County Deputy Sheriff Tyree Allen teamed to help save a life. All the law enforcement officials received a letter of commendation from Basalt Lt. Aaron Munch in a private ceremony Tuesday that was held at Basalt Town Hall with outgoing Mayor Bill Kane and mayor-elect David Knight in attendance.
According to Munch’s narrative, he and Mass were dispatched on Jan. 6 to a neighborhood in Basalt for a report of a suicidal female with a gun. Because the incident was in the middle of a highly populated area, notices were sent over the Pitkin and Eagle county emergency alert systems to warn people to stay away from the area.
“Officer Mass was able to quickly make contact with the female, utilizing excellent verbal skills to build a rapport with her,” Munch said at the ceremony. “While it was initially difficult for Officer Mass to get the female to comply with our commands, he found different ways to negotiate with the female until she relinquished the gun and was safely taken into protective custody.
“I would like to commend Officer Mass for his actions on this day, for if it had not been for his compassion and professionalism shown on this scene, I am unsure if it would have been a successful outcome,” Munch concluded.
Just three days later, Basalt officials were once again pressed into an emergency situation with a life on the line. School Resource Officer Jason Hegberg received a call from a concerned student about a juvenile male who said he intended to jump off a pedestrian bridge over the Roaring Fork River along the west end of Two Rivers Road.
Hegberg, Biggs, Knott rushed to the scene and were joined a short time later by Allen.
“Upon arrival, they discovered (a juvenile) male standing on the top of the side railing of the bridge, making threats to jump,” Munch said Tuesday. “A coordinated effort was put in motion to try and coax the male off the bridge while Officer Biggs continued to converse with the male in an effort to build a rapport.”
Eventually, the young man came down off the railing. While he was distracted, the law enforcement officials rushed to try to detain him. The male managed to climb to the outside of the railing but the officers and deputy prevented him from jumping by reaching over or through the rail to secure him.
“At one point, the male subject released his feet from the bridge in an attempt to jump, but our people would not release their grip,” Munch said. “Eventually, the male was pulled over the railing and placed into protective custody.”
Without the coordinated efforts of the law enforcement officials, the young man’s life could have ended tragically, according to Munch.
“These officers and the deputy did not care about their own personal safety and were willing to do anything to save this young man,” Munch said.
In addition to the letters of commendation, the three of the officers and the deputy received lifesaving awards, which many first response agencies hand out for exemplary actions. For Knott, it was his 11th lifesaver award. For Hegberg it was his third lifesaver award and for Biggs his second. It was the first earned by Allen.
Earlier in the ceremony, Kane kicked things off with a short speech.
“I think today is a bit of an emotional deal here because what today really underscores is the scope and breadth of the services our policemen provide to our town,” Kane said. “You know, you grow up thinking that guys in blue just hit people over the head with billy clubs and put them in jail cells. These guys are a fabric and part of our community. They are loved, they are respected and they save lives. And here are dramatic examples that we’re going to talk about a little bit more.”
The two incidents show the dedication of the officers and their willingness to risk their lives to help others, the mayor continued.
“We love our police officers. We have excellent leadership and great (officers),” Kane said.
Knight added, “You guys do so many things so well. If it goes right, if it goes wrong, these situations are just hard and I commend you all for doing what you do.”